Tara Elie shares with us an amazing interview she recorded with the Dutch Detective Inspector Thorlief. It’s an amazing, thought provoking and deeply affecting episode with lots of parallels in every educational setting.

Find out why Thorlief was accused of ‘Rolling out the red carpet for the Jihadis’ and why Tara was immediately by his compassion.

“It was hard to believe he had achieved what he claimed with such simplicity of approach.”

Thorlief has been subjected to mockery but still manages to see the big picture. His intelligence and empathy are striking.

Some of the parallels between his work and ours in school is in his work with mentors on life skills for the radicalised young men. He works hard to create belonging in the men who have no sense of it when they first meet Thorlief.

What is the ‘prevention triangle’ and why is prevention key to success with these men? Thorlief explains what happens when young men are unable to be reached by the community – that’s when he comes in.

“He allows them to be open and candid about their experiences and he talks about ‘raising them again’ as citizens.”